New Orleans attack and Syrian delegation arrives in Saudi Arabia - Trending


Yasmeen Altaji

Trending Middle East brings you the latest social media and search trends from the region and around the world. Here are today's headlines.

At least 15 people were killed and more than 30 injured when a man drove a pickup truck into a large crowd in the US city of New Orleans early on New Year's Day.

The FBI identified the driver as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a US citizen from Texas, and said it is working to determine if he had associations and affiliations with terrorist organisations. "We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible," FBI agent Alethea Duncan said.

One person was killed and seven injured when a Tesla truck caught fire and exploded outside US president-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel on Wednesday, authorities said.

One person died inside the vehicle, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark County Fire Department officials told reporters. Seven people received minor injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.

After the incident, Elon Musk said in a post on X: "We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion.”

A Syrian delegation led by newly appointed Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al Shibani arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday.

It’s their first official visit abroad, Syrian state news agency Sana reported, citing a foreign ministry source. The delegation includes Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra.

The visit comes less than a month after the removal of Bashar Al Assad by rebels on December 8.

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Updated: January 02, 2025, 6:10 AM

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